Our Top Picks for Cocktail Week Brisbane

From degustations to high teas and block parties, World Class Cocktail Week has you covered. Here are the events we think are not-to-be-missed.

The End Bar

Photography: Kirsty Sycz

1/8

The End Bar

Photography: Kirsty Sycz

1/8

Maker

Photography: Morgan Roberts

1/8

Published on 29 June 2016

by Anna Webster

Share

Brisbane’s best bartenders, bars and restaurants are putting on cocktail parties, masterclasses, dinners and drink specials to celebrate World Class Cocktail Week. The program is so big, we’ve put together 10 highlights to start you off.

Bitters, tinctures and syrups at Public
Take your home-mixing game to a new level by learning how to make your own bitters (alcohol flavoured with botanicals), tinctures (alcoholic plant or animal extract) and syrups (a thick, flavoured liquid). You’ll be shown the ropes, served a Tanqueray No. TEN gin–based cocktail and sent off with small bottles of syrups and tinctures to add to your home bar.

Five-course cocktail degustation at Maker
Maker is hosting a specially curated five-course food and cocktail degustation. It hasn’t released the menu yet, but judging by Maker’s regular cocktail list, which includes ingredients such as burnt butter, honey-charcoal-roasted pineapple and snow peas, this will be one not to miss. Two sittings will be available – 6pm and 8pm – but spaces are still limited.

Fine whisky tasting at The Gresham
Johnnie Walker Whisky Ambassador Sean Baxter will take you through some of the world’s finest whiskies at its tasting event. Expect spirits from top-shelf distilleries including Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Talisker.

Cocktails and barkeeps degustation at Cobbler
If you have a special fondness for whisky-based cocktails, book in for Cobbler’s first-ever cocktail degustation. Each of its bartenders will create a whisky-based cocktail to be served with a carefully matched dish, for a total of five courses.

Warm winter food and cocktail degustation at London Fields
If winter is starting to get the better of you, you’ll want to hit up London Fields’ warm winter food and cocktails event. There will be four courses of winter food with hot cocktails to match, including Mulled Cider made with Bulleit Bourbon; a Tanqueray gin Hot Toddy; Buttered Rum made with Ron Zacapa rum; and a Blazer made with Johnnie Walker Black.

West End block party at End Bar
End Bar is throwing a block party, complete with local DJs playing nineties hip-hop and rap. One of its beer taps has been sacrificed to make way for kegs of Tanqueray Gin and Juice, which it’ll be pouring all night for $10 a pop.

Secret cocktail degustation at a secret location
If you like your cocktails with a side of mystery, book in for this secret cocktail degustation. It’ll be four courses of Asian food and cocktails, plus a welcome cocktail, but the location won’t be revealed until two hours before the event starts.

Tanqueray high tea at Darling & Co.
Darling & Co. is hosting a high tea, but while all the food you’ve come to expect from a traditional high tea will be there – such as finger sandwiches and citrus melting moments –you’ll be served Tanqueray gin–based iced teas instead of cups of hot tea.

Martini masterclass: One better than Bond at Dutch Courage Officers’ Mess
Learn how to make the perfect Martini, and then learn how to make wet, dry, Churchill, Montgomery and Vesper-style Martinis. You’ll also learn about garnishes and how to match Martinis with food. You’ll be confidently ordering, mixing and shaking in no time.